Search

In this article, we investigate changes in usual working hours and part-time work in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in recent decades. We analyze whether convergence or divergence occurred between countries, between men and women, and between men and women in each country. We use annual data from the European Labor Force Survey to identify trends between 1996 and 2016 (N = 730,133), while controlling for a set of structural factors. The findings suggest a degree of divergence between countries: usual working hours and the incidence of part-time work were relatively stable in Finland and Sweden, while working hours decreased in Denmark and Norway. The latter is partly driven by a decline among the 15–29 age group. The gender gap in working hours and part-time work was closed somewhat, in particular due to a rise in part-time work among men and a decline among women in Norway and Sweden.

This article examines non-standard employment and precariousness in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway). Drawing on data from the Labour Force Survey from 1995-2015, the article investigates and compares recent developments of non-standard employment in the countries and whether fixed-term contracts, temporary agency work, marginal part-time work and solo self-employment have precarious elements (income or job insecurity). We conclude that non-standard employment has remained rather stable in all four countries over time. However, although non-standard employment seems to be largely integrated in the Nordic labour markets, it still entails precarious elements in certain countries. Norway and Denmark stand out as less insecure labour markets, while Finland and Sweden have more precariousness associated with non-standard employment. This article examines nonstandard employment and precariousness in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway). Drawing on data from the Labour Force Survey from 1995 to 2015, the article investigates and compares recent developments of nonstandard em-ployment in the countries and analyzes whether fixed-term contracts, temporary agency work, marginal part-time work and solo self-employment have precarious elements (measured as in-come or job insecurity). We conclude that nonstandard employment has remained rather stable in all four countries over time. However, although nonstandard employment seems to be largely integrated in the Nordic labor markets, it still entails precarious elements in certain countries in particular. Norway and Denmark stand out as having less insecure labor markets, while Finland and Sweden have more precariousness associated with nonstandard employment. We argue that these differences are explained by differences in the institutional contexts in the countries.

This article examines nonstandard employment and precariousness in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway). Drawing on data from the Labour Force Survey from 1995 to 2015, the article investigates and compares recent developments of nonstandard employment in the countries and analyzes whether fixed-term contracts, temporary agency work, marginal part-time work and solo self-employment have precarious elements (measured as income or job insecurity). We conclude that nonstandard employment has remained rather stable in all four countries over time. However, although nonstandard employment seems to be largely integrated in the Nordic labor markets, it still entails precarious elements in certain countries in particular. Norway and Denmark stand out as having less insecure labor markets, while Finland and Sweden have more precariousness associated with nonstandard employment. We argue that these differences are explained by differences in the institutional contexts in the countries.

Background: Poor perceived indoor environmental quality (IEQ) can generate conflicts and experiences of injustice in workplaces. Therefore we examined whether the combined effect of poor IEQ and self-reported psychosocial stressors (low social support from supervisors and experiences of injustice) increase the risk of employees&rsquo, long-term sickness absence (more than 10 days) in comparison to employees who report only poor perceived IEQ and no psychosocial stressors. Methods: Using negative binomial modelling, we analysed a representative sample of the working-age population in Finland (N = 16,084) from the Finnish Quality of Work Life Surveys (FQWLS) from 1997, 2003, 2008 and 2013, combined with register-based follow-up data on employees&rsquo, long-term absences covering a period of one to three years after each FQWLS was collected. Results: After background variables were included in the model, employees who reported poor IEQ and low social support had 1.18 (incidents rate ratios, 95% CI 1.05&ndash, 1.33) higher rates of long-term absence than those who reported poor IEQ and high support. Similarly, employees who reported poor IEQ and experiences of injustice had 1.31(incidents rate ratios, 95% CI 1.15&ndash, 1.48) higher rates of absence than those who reported poor IEQ and no injustice. Conclusions: Employees who reported poor perceived IEQ and a psychosocial stressor had higher rates of long-term sickness absence one to three years later, in comparison with those who report only poor perceived IEQ and no psychosocial stressors. These findings demonstrate the importance of taking account of psychosocial stressors as well, when resolving indoor environmental problems.

This study examines underemployment of working mothers in 22 European countries. Underemployed mothers are defined as those who wish to work longer hours than they are currently working. Compared to unemployment and employment in general, the research tradition of underemployment is less established. This article contributes to the existing knowledge on underemployment in two ways. First, it focuses on a specific group of workers: mothers. Secondly, while the vast majority of earlier studies has concentrated on single countries, this study is cross-national. Using data from the 2010/2011 European Social Survey (ESS), a multilevel analysis provides three major findings. First, underemployment exists in all countries examined, but the prevalence varies significantly. Second, the prevalence and depth (i.e., how large is the gap between preferred and current working hours) of underemployment are not necessarily correlated, a high prevalence can be accompanied by shallower underemployment and vice versa. Third, at the individual-level, underemployment particularly hurts mothers who are in a more insecure position in terms of their economic and labor market situation. At the country level, underemployment is related to a poorer economic situation and less-extensive childcare system.

How do European service sector workers evaluate their quality of work and life nowadays? Europeanization and globalization are bringing about major shifts in the economy, but we know little about how this is affecting the well-being of Europe’s citizens. This chapter presents a range of subjective indicators for the quality of work and life as reported by service sector employees in eight European countries. In addition, it provides background information on the organizational context. The countries involved are at different stages of economic development and have differing welfare systems. Four organizations were surveyed in each country: one bank or insurance company, one public hospital, one retail organization and one IT or telecom company.